Music Courses & Classes in London and Online
We offer a wide range of piano, singing and instrumental workshops from complete beginners to advanced standard, daytime, evening or weekend. We also offer music production, music theory, history, singing and choirs, orchestra and jazz ensembles.
Choosing your course
Based in the heart of Covent Garden, we have a Yamaha CFIIIS and Steinway D concert grand pianos, Yamaha acoustic pianos and two suites of digital pianos. Music students have access to practice rooms for the duration of their course and we use the latest versions of Sibelius, Logic and Max/MSP for our music technology courses.
Some of our courses are delivered online. For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
Expert tutors
Our classes are taught by professional performers and practitioners, many of whom also teach at leading London universities and music conservatoires. We also offer advanced piano masterclasses with visiting performers and professors each year. Please refer to individual course outlines for individual staff biographies.
Studying at City Lit
City Lit students have a proud history of learning an instrument or singing from scratch as well as studying more advanced courses such as music theory exams, and preparing for advanced piano diplomas. Many of our jazz students form ensembles together and we frequently organise concerts and recitals in and around Central London.
Find a course
Browse our range of music courses in London and online below to choose your perfect option: both complete beginners and returning students are equally welcome at City Lit.
- Great works: Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilègesCourse start date: Wed 2 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish ShawThe fantastical opera L'Enfant et les sortileges, by Maurice Ravel, was first performed in March 1925 at the Monte Carlo Opera. Come and explore this delightful work, with plot and libretto by the novelist Collete, and its magical characters and even more magical music.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Improvisation traditions in musicCourse start date: Thu 3 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Neil LuckThis course offers an overview of ways that improvisation has been used, or is central to different musical traditions (Western and Non-western), from the 17th century to the present day. The course touches on Baroque and Classical music, Indian Classical Music, Jazz, the avant-garde tradition, and Pop and Rock.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £62.00 - Great works: Allegri's MiserereCourse start date: Thu 3 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenExplore the history of this most famous choral work and trace the story of the famous high C from the castrati of the 18th century to today’s professional early music vocal ensembles.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Great composers: Puccini
Course start date: Thu 3 Apr 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneEveryone knows at least one Puccini tune, even if they’ve never seen a Puccini opera. Football fans, for example, can sing ‘Nessun dorma’, and there are plenty more where we know the tune even if we can’t sing all the words or know which opera it comes from. What is it about this composer that made him so famous in his own time and in ours? In this centenary year of his death we look at his operas, his bohemian lifestyle, and his reputation. Is he a ‘great’ composer? How can we decide?Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - Viola workshopCourse start date: Sun 6 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyFocus on technique and musicianship especially for viola: on playing on the C string, reading alto clef fluently, left-hand work and more. For viola players, and violin players who wish to add an extra string to their bow!Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £69.00 - Great composers: Palestrina Course start date: Mon 7 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenKnown as one of the three towering composers of the renaissance (alongside Lassus & Byrd), explore the life and works of this most famous polyphonist. *Tutors: Patrick Allies & Edward Breen.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Orchestra workshop Course start date: Tue 8 Apr 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyA fun, intensive workshop for players of orchestral instruments of Grade 6 level upwards, with good music reading skills. Please click the 'Start interview' button, follow the login instructions, and the Music Department will contact you. Paul Sarcich will be your conductor for this workshop.
Repertoire
Bizet- Symphony No.1
Holst- Two songs Opus. 22
Mozart- Overture Clemenza Di Tito k.621.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £90.00 - Great works: Smetana's Ma Vlast Course start date: Wed 9 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Katy HamiltonAmong the numerous operas, piano pieces, choral and chamber works composed by Bedrich Smetana, surely the best known is his depiction of the river Vltava from his cycle of symphonic poems, Má Vlast. This session explores the origins of Smetana’s six-movement cycle composed across several years, the stories that he conjures in such vivid orchestral colours, and its meaning for Czech national identity in the later nineteenth century.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Great works: Bizet's Carmen Course start date: Thu 10 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneBizet’s Carmen is one of the most performed operas world-wide. We know it as a thrilling drama involving love, betrayal and death, focused on a charismatic character who brings about her own destruction at the hands of the man who loves her. Bizet never saw the popular version of his opera and died thinking it was a flop. We explore the story behind its composition and how it became a super-hit.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - String Easter School Course start date: Fri 11 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Robert PuzeyLearn technique, repertoire and ensemble skills for all orchestral strings. Develop your confidence and make new string friends. For players at grade 3 or above. - Come and sing: Andrew Lloyd WebberCourse start date: Sat 12 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Siobhan Blake, Richard Hartley WilsonJoin us for a day of singing the songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber! From Phantom of the Opera to Cats, we will be learning some of the big ensemble numbers from some of his biggest West End and Broadway hits.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £62.00 - Music history bookclub: The Thorn of the Honey LocustCourse start date: Fri 25 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Drumming: advanced Course start date: Sun 27 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Mark HuggettOur advanced class is a great chance to practise all the essential popular grooves. Enhance and maintain your technique, reading and stamina. Sessions will be delivered online so you will use your own kit, acoustic or electronic.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £249.00 - Clarinet 3CCourse start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: George SleightholmeIf you have more than two years' experience (playing at around grade 3/4 standard), come and work on both technical and solo work, and enjoy some ensemble playing. Break weeks: 5th & 26th May 2025.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £125.00 - Piano/keyboards 3ACourse start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jonathan WilsonThis fourth year of our piano programme begins with repertoire of a grade 2 standard. Improve your hand co-ordination, musical phrasing, reading and finger technique, and improve your confidence.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £139.00
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